BlackBerry Slashes 40% of Workers, May Be Prepping for Sale

Published Sep 19, 2013 at 9:17 AM

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BlackBerry is cutting 40 percent of its workforce in an attempt to make itself more attractive to buyers, according to reports.

The news comes as BlackBerry also releases its messaging system, BBM, to both iOS and Android platforms this weekend, according to the Wall Street Journal. The app, which has been one of the main reasons to use BlackBerry, may also be prepped to be sold separately from BlackBerry’s main business.

BBM will launch on Saturday for Android and Sunday for iPhones, but the plans have been in motion for the last four months. The app has 60 million monthly users, but many apps – in a short time – have outstripped BBM. According to the WSJ, WhatsApp, a messaging startup, has more than 200 million users.

Deep cuts in a company’s workforce are often seen as ways companies can create a leaner product for sale, but the idea that BlackBerry is also shopping around its pride and joy, BBM, makes its sale all the more imminent.

The only question remains, who will buy the Canadian company? At this point, it seems as if Microsoft is a tech titan in a buying mood, but Google, Facebook or Twitter could benefit from some of BlackBerry’s technology – if the price is right.